{"id":6205,"date":"2022-03-30T16:00:37","date_gmt":"2022-03-30T20:00:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/?p=6205"},"modified":"2022-03-30T16:00:37","modified_gmt":"2022-03-30T20:00:37","slug":"chapter-4-data-retrieval","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/chapter-4-data-retrieval\/","title":{"rendered":"Chapter 4: Data Retrieval"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Optimus and Sonic headed to the Space Colony ARK with Shade. As their shuttle docked, they noticed Mobius\u2019 flagship, the Enterprise<\/em>, docking with it as well. \u201cDad\u2019s home!\u201d called Shade. She dashed off the shuttle, leaving Sonic and Optimus to chuckle. They followed Shade and saw her hug a black and red Hedgehog, her father, Shadow. Shadow was hugging her back. \u201cDaddy, it\u2019s been too long!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI told you I\u2019d come back,\u201d replied Shadow, his gruff tone softened with affection to his daughter. A yellow Hedgehog woman, Shadow\u2019s wife and Shade\u2019s mother, Maria, then arrived.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWelcome home, Shadow!\u201d she greeted as she pecked him on the cheek. Shadow pecked her cheek in return.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s good to be back,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat can\u2019t be Shadow,\u201d Optimus muttered to Sonic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMaybe a clone took his place,\u201d mused Sonic. Shadow saw the two and immediately scowled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd the Faker and Kid decided to barge into MY house?\u201d grunted Shadow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNever mind, it\u2019s the real Shadow,\u201d chuckled Sonic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat are you two doing here?\u201d demanded Shadow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe needed to check with Teletraan,\u201d explained Optimus. \u201cWe started talking about the Convergence and wondered if we still had the necessary data to try and cross universes again.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cConvergence?\u201d asked Maria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s where our world temporarily merged with two others,\u201d replied Shadow before he turned back to Sonic and Optimus. \u201cWhy do you two want to do that?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe never got a chance to talk with Arsha or Megumi since Hot Rod arrived,\u201d said Sonic. \u201cWe just miss them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTeletraan\u2019s on Cybertron right now,\u201d remarked Shadow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, there\u2019s the subspace comms channel between Mobius and Cybertron,\u201d reminded Optimus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAll right, go ahead and use it,\u201d grunted Shadow. \u201cIt\u2019s not like diplomats need it!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAh, don\u2019t be such a sourpuss!\u201d chided Maria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Optimus and Sonic made it to the comms room and connected a subspace call to Teletraan\u2019s Cybertron servers. His avatar popped up. \u201cHey! How goes it, guys?!\u201d he greeted when he saw the two.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHey, Teletraan! It goes well!\u201d replied Optimus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s great! What can I do for you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTeletraan, this is a long shot,\u201d explained Sonic, \u201cbut we were thinking about the Convergence and-\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAh, the Convergence,\u201d sighed Teletraan. \u201cYou know, the only bad thing about that was that War\u2019s servant was just as nuts as her at that time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, X-PO called you unsophisticated, didn\u2019t he?\u201d recalled Optimus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou know, I thought about it too when I transferred to the new Autobot base. I had a chance to check over whether or not I still had the data concerning multiversal travel.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd?!\u201d asked Optimus and Sonic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry to disappoint you guys,\u201d muttered Teletraan. \u201cThe only data I had was when Blackarachnia crossed over to Moebius. The other universes we visited, Beyond City and the like, they\u2019re not there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cScrap,\u201d muttered Optimus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Prime.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all right, we kind of expected this.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou know, maybe Tails or Shockwave still have that data.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI know where Tails lives, but Shockwave vanished from us a while ago.\u201d Sonic then winced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cActually, she didn\u2019t vanish, per se,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou know where she is?\u201d asked Optimus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo, but Tails has been in contact with her. It\u2019s a sort of trade deal. He sends her Energon and she sends him copies of all her research to date. He hasn\u2019t told me and Amy where she lives, but we figured that, as long as she\u2019s not a threat to us at the moment, we don\u2019t need to know.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThen let\u2019s start with him first,\u201d declared Optimus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

A two-tailed Mobian Fox man looked through his papers and read the reports of his business. Right now, the figures were going up. He seemed satisfied and was about to use that data to make a presentation when his buzzer sounded. He pressed the button. \u201cYes?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMr. Prower, your wife is here,\u201d said his secretary. The Fox, Miles \u201cTails\u201d Prower smiled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSend her up!\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, sir.\u201d The call ended and Tails looked to his office door. It only took seconds, but it felt like hours to Tails. A woman with a rose on each side of her head then entered the office. This was his wife, the Seedrian, Cosmo Prower. \u201cMy flower!\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy mechanic!\u201d returned Cosmo. She and Tails then embraced each other and kissed passionately. Once the kiss ended, Tails looked his wife up and down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re looking great as usual!\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re looking quite dashing yourself,\u201d mused Cosmo. \u201cHow\u2019s business life?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDoing quite well. Sales are going up and production\u2019s increasing. How about your business?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFlowers are still flying off the shelves,\u201d replied Cosmo. \u201cHow about you, personally?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, I\u2019m hanging in there. Would like to be with you all day every day, but that\u2019s just not how business life works.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSame here.\u201d They leaned to each other for another kiss when Tails\u2019 buzzer rang again. Tails and Cosmo groaned. \u201cI believe the phrase on this planet is \u2018Murphey\u2019s Law\u2019,\u201d grumbled Cosmo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYep, and it never fails. Just when things get interesting.\u201d Tails pressed the call button. \u201cYes?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMr. Prower, Optimus Prime and King Sonic are asking to see you,\u201d reported his secretary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA social call?\u201d asked Cosmo hopefully.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHave them meet me and Cosmo in the courtyard,\u201d Tails directed his secretary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, sir,\u201d replied the secretary. The call ended.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLet\u2019s go see what they want, shall we, dear?\u201d suggested Tails.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPerfect idea, my love!\u201d answered Cosmo. Tails took Cosmo\u2019s hand and they left the office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Sonic and Optimus waited in the courtyard of Miles Electric\u2019s main HQ. Optimus was in his vehicle mode and had activated his holo-form. They were looking in a display case containing two star-like objects. One was red and had three points while the other was yellow and had eight points. Optimus, being the Star Trek<\/em> nerd he was, pulled out a tricorder and took a reading. \u201c\u2026They\u2019re made of Energon crystal,\u201d he muttered, \u201cbut the power in them is compacted somehow.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow did Tails make them?\u201d asked Sonic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWith Shockwave\u2019s help,\u201d explained Tails once he and Cosmo approached them. \u201cThey\u2019re called Energon Stars and they tap into more power than a Transformer\u2019s consumption of cubes would allow.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGood to see you again, Tails!\u201d chuckled Optimus. He and Sonic hugged Tails, then Cosmo. \u201cSo, those Stars are from Shockwave\u2019s research?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHer research AND mine,\u201d elaborated Tails. \u201cIt was a collab-effort.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, we\u2019re gonna need her help OR yours,\u201d said Sonic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo, this ISN\u2019T a social call?\u201d asked Cosmo, slightly disappointed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m afraid not,\u201d said Optimus. \u201cWe thought back to the Convergence and wanted to see Megumi and Arsha again. Teletraan didn\u2019t copy that data over when he transferred out of the old base.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI only have the equipment,\u201d winced Tails. \u201cAs to the data concerning their universes, you might have better luck with Shockwave.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhere is she?\u201d asked Sonic. Tails winced again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe\u2019s\u2026at Olympus Mons,\u201d he finally revealed. Sonic didn\u2019t have a full grasp of Mobius\u2019 solar system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhere\u2019s that?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOn Mars, if I\u2019m right,\u201d remarked Optimus. Tails nodded in confirmation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026Why not move to Mobius?\u201d asked Sonic. Tails breathed a little easier as he explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe wasn\u2019t all that eager to live on our noisy planet where interruptions would plague her, like Mobians or Autobots. Besides, she has a reputation of conducting cruel experiments on live test subjects, so she figured living somewhere barren like Mars would keep her from being tempted to conduct those kinds of experiments these days.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf she\u2019s not receptive to Autobots, maybe a Decepticon should visit her,\u201d mused Optimus. \u201cMegatron\u2019s alt-mode can enter and leave a planet\u2019s atmosphere. He might have better luck convincing her to fork over the data.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe should tell him about that,\u201d suggested Sonic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

On the red world of Mars, at the base of the famous extinct shield volcano of Olympus Mons, stood a purple female robot with a visor over her optics, giving her a cycloptic appearance. She stood alone, needing some space from her smaller roommates. She listened to the winds rushing across the Martian surface and past her frame. She cycled air through her olfactory apparatus and sighed. Her solitude was interrupted by the roar of jets. She looked up and saw the outline of her faction\u2019s symbol with wings. She then made a call to the jet. \u201cLord Megatron, I was not expecting you,\u201d began the cyclops robot, the Decepticon Chief Scientist, Shockwave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI have some scientific inquiries I need to make concerning other universes,\u201d explained the jet, Megatron. \u201cMay I land?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cVery well, my Lord.\u201d At Shockwave\u2019s permission, Megatron\u2019s front split down the middle and each half rotated and deployed feet at the wider parts, becoming legs. His arms rotated from the top of the jet to the sides as each jet engine housing on the side pulled away from the housing in the middle and became shoulder pads. The middle jet housing then folded to the back, taking the cockpit with it as it tucked itself into the housing. Megatron\u2019s head then popped up and he landed in a superhero\u2019s landing pose. \u201c\u2026Doesn\u2019t that hurt, my Lord?\u201d asked Shockwave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou get used to it after years of landing like that,\u201d explained Megatron. \u201cAnd my son is the Decepticon Lord, it\u2019s just Megatron for me. Mr. Megatron, at the most formal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cVery well. You said something about other universes. Do any universes involve Moebius?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOptimus and Sonic were thinking more of Megumi and Arsha\u2019s respective universes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI thought you wanted nothing to do with them after the alliance between us, Dr. Borg, and Hiro turned out to be an utter fiasco.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI don\u2019t, but Optimus and Sonic wanted to see Arsha and Megumi again, now that this universe is calmer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026Well, I cannot fault that. I have the data on those universes and how to get there, but not the equipment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTails happens to have the equipment, but not the data.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThen I will send that data immediately.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ll just signal Tails and you\u2019ll have twice your usual Energon shipment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMegatron, wait a moment.\u201d Megatron stopped and looked at Shockwave. \u201cWhy are you helping them?\u201d Megatron sighed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026I suppose\u2026to make up for what I did.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026In my experience, that kind of journey lasts until you die.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI know, but I might as well make a start now. \u2026I don\u2019t really look forward to meeting them again, especially Richard. I don\u2019t think he would forgive me for using his wife as a bargaining chip like that. Still, I have to make the attempt.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Optimus and Sonic headed to the Space Colony ARK with Shade. As their shuttle docked, they noticed Mobius\u2019 flagship, the Enterprise, docking with it as well. \u201cDad\u2019s home!\u201d called Shade. She dashed off the shuttle, leaving Sonic and Optimus to chuckle. They followed Shade and saw her hug a black and red Hedgehog, her father, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":6203,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[754,880],"tags":[146,337],"class_list":["post-6205","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-journey-through-wonder","category-story-journey-through-wonder","tag-sonic","tag-transformers"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6205","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6205"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6205\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6207,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6205\/revisions\/6207"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6203"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6205"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6205"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6205"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}